Author
Products & Materials Specialist Brent Ehrlich excels at deep, unbiased, and nuanced technical research on the health and environmental impacts of green building products and materials. Some areas of focus include:
product and material constituents, including their risks
product certifications
third-party product... Read more
Forum topic
Curious if folks know of any resources on hempcrete, specific to durability. We have a one-story carbon-neutral operational energy project where the design team and client have bought into the aesthetics and carbon-sequestering potential of hempcrete, and amazingly it is looking to be no more expensive than a more typical concrete wall... Read more
Forum topic
I am brushing up on current tools for local government greenhouse gas inventories and was wondering if any of you have used the EPA's Local Government Greenhouse Gas Inventory tool? Download the Local Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool | US EPA
Some of my immediate questions include:
Is the EPA tool straightforward to use?
Are... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Making Your Own Electricity: Onsite Photovoltaic Systems.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Explain the difference between crystalline and thin-film photovoltaic technologies, and the uses of each.
2. Describe the ways in which PV... Read more
Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars
Concrete and other cementitious materials have both environmental advantages and disadvantages. As builders and designers, should we be looking for alternatives or embracing concrete over competing materials?
This special report takes a look at how these materials are made, presents the key environmental considerations relating to their... Read more
Forum topic
At the start of 2021 there was one signatory to the contractors commitment (thanks Leopardo!). Today, there are 12 companies participating, representing over $24 Billion in total revenue.
We don’t always give ourselves enough credit or take enough time to savor our accomplishments because there is always more to do. But, this is a big... Read more
Forum topic
So our last webinar effort flamed out with the overloaded internet, but we've regrouped and have the session scheduled for this Thursday 4/2 at 1:10. We pre-recorded the webinar to make sure everything goes smoothly and I have to say that Mike is delivering some pretty fantastic content. It doesn't engage LCA tools, rather focusing on core... Read more
Forum topic
Curious to see if your firms have researched metals and established a preference for what you use for roof and wall panels? I'm interested in ranking environmental performance for painted steel, galvanize steel, weathered steel, painted aluminum, zinc, etc.
Forum topic
All--
Metropolis magazine asked me to write a long piece about the current state of post-occupancy studies. I'm wrestling with whether to do it and how to approach it, but it would be helpful to hear your thoughts on the following--
--importance of the topic
--typical and atypical approaches and criteria
--examples... Read more
Quiz
Welcome to the quiz portion of Rebuilding for Resilience in the Face of Natural Disasters!
IMPORTANT: This quiz covers three related articles within this topic.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
Forum topic
I have a client seeking grant funding & they're vetting current US technology around large-scale prefabricated mass timber. My question to this group is if this currently exists anywhere in the US.
Qualifications:
10+ years experience manufacturing and installing large-scale prefabricated mass timber elements into completed... Read more
Product Guide
Discarded tires are an environmental disaster, and finding a beneficial use for them is a high priority.
BuildingGreen-Approved Resilient FlooringBuildingGreen does not approve any flooring product that is made with tire-derived rubber, though some products may be appropriate for exterior use.
Environmental and Health Impacts of... Read moreForum topic
Hi All ... I'm seeking suggestions for an ecologically minded landscape/site/civil consultant. Ideally with strong knowledge about Florida ecosystems. Thanks much for any sharing.
Rand Ekman
rekman@hksinc.com
Forum topic
Hello Green Gurus!
Quick introduction as this is my first time posting - Louis Koehl, AIA, CPHD, Director of Sustainable Design at Handel Architects, based in NY. I recently joined the SDL Forum and met some of you at the regional summit and Greenbuild. I'm excited to continue to connect with such an influential group!
My... Read more
Forum topic
Has anyone pursued the schools Mold Prevention IEQc10 successfully and have format for the documentation created they would be comfortable sharing? Our contractor is excited about pursuing this credit but no on our team has pursued it before.
thanks in advance!
Forum topic
I'm loving the winning projects this year--congratulations to everyone who participated in making them so great!
(In case you missed the announcement, here's our slideshow on BuildingGreen, and here are the winners with all the details on AIA.org)
Nadav
Forum topic
Hi All- I will be starting bi-weekly mtg for the PFAS working group to align on our goals as consicous firms and finalize our message aka 'letter to manufacturers' for reducing PFAS in building materials. Please email me (pgupta-garg@wrnsstudio.com) to let me know if you are interested in being a part of the group. First mtg will be next week... Read more